Message driven data updates

ABSTRACT

Novel tools and techniques might be provide for implementing message-driven data updates. In some embodiments, a server might generate linear (e.g., short message service (“SMS”)) message(s) containing data updates, and might send the linear message(s) to a user device over a linear messaging communications network. The user device might receive the linear message containing data updates, and might divert, based on the format of the linear message, the linear message, from a queue of regular (i.e., message only) linear messages that are displayed to a user, to a translator device or application programming interface (“API”). The translator or API might parse the data updates in the linear message (in some cases, combining data updates in multiple linear messages, decrypting data updates, and/or the like) to generate data updates in data format, which are then relayed to one or more identified applications running on the user device for updating these applications.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No.62/081,707 (the “'707 Application”), filed Nov. 19, 2014 by SrikanthNayak et al., entitled, “Message Driven Data Updates,” the entirelydisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entiretyfor all purposes.

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialthat is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and TrademarkOffice patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrightrights whatsoever.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates, in general, to methods, systems, andcomputer software for implementing data updates, and, in particularembodiments, to methods, systems, and computer software for implementingmessage-driven data updates.

BACKGROUND

For my applications running on user devices (such as tablet computers,smart phones, laptop computers, mobile phones, portable gaming devices,or the like), data or data updates (e.g., application updates, serviceupdates, security updates, etc.) are often needed to ensure that theapplications are running efficiently, and/or using the most up-to-datesoftware settings, configurations, data, etc.

When a user (and the user device) enters an area in which there isno/low data network connectivity or no/low data network availability,however, the applications cannot be updated during the time the user(and the user device) remains in such an area (herein referred to as a“data not available” or “DNA” zone).

Linear messages (e.g., short message service (“SMS”) messages), on theother hand, utilize a different network from the data network, and areoften able to be sent to and from user devices despite the lack of datanetwork service, connectivity, or availability.

Hence, there is a need for more robust and scalable solutions forimplementing data updates, by, e.g., implementing message-driven dataupdates that, in some cases, utilize protocols for data transmissionthrough linear (e.g., SMS) messaging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of particularembodiments may be realized by reference to the remaining portions ofthe specification and the drawings, in which like reference numerals areused to refer to similar components. In some instances, a sub-label isassociated with a reference numeral to denote one of multiple similarcomponents. When reference is made to a reference numeral withoutspecification to an existing sub-label, it is intended to refer to allsuch multiple similar components.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for implementingmessage-driven data updates, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIGS. 2A-2I is a block diagram illustrating various embodiments of amessage data framework that may be used when implementing message-drivendata updates.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams illustrating another system forimplementing message-driven data updates, in accordance with variousembodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another system forimplementing message-driven data updates, in accordance with variousembodiments.

FIGS. 5A-5C are schematic diagrams illustrating process flows forimplementing message-driven data updates from the perspective of aclient device, a server, and an application programming interface(“API”) at the client device, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIGS. 6A-6C are flow diagrams illustrating a method for implementingmessage-driven data updates by generating and sending data updates in alinear messaging format, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIGS. 7A-7B are flow diagrams illustrating a method for implementingmessage-driven data updates by translating and applying data updatesthat are received in a linear messaging format, in accordance withvarious embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computer or systemhardware architecture, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a networked system of computers,computing systems, or system hardware architecture, which can be used inaccordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

Overview

Various embodiments provide techniques for implementing message-drivendata updates that, in some cases, utilize protocols for datatransmission through short message service (“SMS”) messaging or throughother linear messaging formats.

In some embodiments, a server might generate linear message(s) (e.g.,short message service (“SMS”) message(s) or the like) containing dataupdates (in linear messaging format), and might send the linearmessage(s) to a user device over a linear messaging communicationsnetwork (e.g., SMS communications network). The user device mightreceive the linear message containing data updates, and might divert,based on the format of the linear message, the linear message, from aqueue of regular (i.e., message only) linear messages that are displayedto a user, to a translator device or application programming interface(“API”). The translator or API might parse the data updates in thelinear message to generate data updates in data format, which are thenrelayed to one or more identified applications running on the userdevice for updating these applications.

According to some embodiments, a message data framework (“MDF”), whichmight include the translator or API and might implement themessage-driven data updates, might check whether the data or dataupdates is encrypted. If so, the MDF might decrypt the data or dataupdates. In some cases, the MDF might check whether the data or dataupdates are sent from a trusted source. If not, the MDF might reject thelinear message(s) containing the data or data updates. In someinstances, the MDF might check whether the user or user device isregistered. If not, the MDF might hold off on translating the data ordata updates in linear messaging format to data or data updates in dataformat, until the user or user device has been registered. The MDF, insome embodiments, might check whether the data or data updates arecontained in two or more linear messages. If so, the MDF might stitchtogether or compile the two or more portions of the data or data updatesin the two or more linear messages into a single, complete set of dataor data updates. Merely by way of example, in some cases, the MDF mightcheck whether the data or data updates represent current or old (i.e.,archived) data or data updates. Unless old (or archived) data or dataupdates are specifically requested by an application, only current dataor data updates are translated into data format and relayed to one ormore identified applications. In some instances, MDF might check whetherdata or data updates are set as priority data or data updates. If so,the MDF might put the priority data or data updates in queue fortranslation and relay to applications ahead of other data or dataupdates (which might have been received before the priority data or dataupdates were received).

Because linear messages (e.g., short message service (“SMS”) messages)utilize a different network from the data network, and are often able tobe sent to and from user devices despite the lack of data networkservice, connectivity, or availability, data or data updates containedwithin linear (e.g., SMS) messages (i.e., data or data updates in linear(e.g., SMS) messaging format) may be sent to and from user devices,regardless of whether the user devices are in a “data not available”(“DNA”) zone. Accordingly, applications running on the user devices canreceive important data or data updates (including, without limitation,application updates, service updates, security updates, data updates,data, etc.) in a timely and expedited manner, regardless of whether theuser devices are in a DNA zone. In some cases, particularly where users'mobile service subscriptions specify high volume or unlimited text orSMS message options, but have limited or capped data options, sendingdata or data updates to user devices associated with such users mightrepresent a cheaper manner of updating applications running on the userdevices.

Aside from data or data updates, according to some aspects, social mediamessages, emergency messages, presence-based messages, and/or the likemay be embedded within linear (e.g., SMS) messages, and may be sent toand from the user devices (via the MDF), regardless of whether the userdevices are in a DNA zone.

The following detailed description illustrates a few exemplaryembodiments in further detail to enable one of skill in the art topractice such embodiments. The described examples are provided forillustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention.

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the described embodiments. It will be apparent to oneskilled in the art, however, that other embodiments of the presentinvention may be practiced without some of these specific details. Inother instances, certain structures and devices are shown in blockdiagram form. Several embodiments are described herein, and whilevarious features are ascribed to different embodiments, it should beappreciated that the features described with respect to one embodimentmay be incorporated with other embodiments as well. By the same token,however, no single feature or features of any described embodimentshould be considered essential to every embodiment of the invention, asother embodiments of the invention may omit such features.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers used herein to expressquantities, dimensions, and so forth used should be understood as beingmodified in all instances by the term “about.” In this application, theuse of the singular includes the plural unless specifically statedotherwise, and use of the terms “and” and “or” means “and/or” unlessotherwise indicated. Moreover, the use of the term “including,” as wellas other forms, such as “includes” and “included,” should be considerednon-exclusive. Also, terms such as “element” or “component” encompassboth elements and components comprising one unit and elements andcomponents that comprise more than one unit, unless specifically statedotherwise.

The tools provided by various embodiments include, without limitation,methods, systems, and/or software products. Merely by way of example, amethod might comprise one or more procedures, any or all of which areexecuted by a computer system. Correspondingly, an embodiment mightprovide a computer system configured with instructions to perform one ormore procedures in accordance with methods provided by various otherembodiments. Similarly, a computer program might comprise a set ofinstructions that are executable by a computer system (and/or aprocessor therein) to perform such operations. In many cases, suchsoftware programs are encoded on physical, tangible, and/ornon-transitory computer readable media (such as, to name but a fewexamples, optical media, magnetic media, and/or the like).

Various embodiments described herein, while embodying (in some cases)software products, computer-performed methods, and/or computer systems,represent tangible, concrete improvements to existing technologicalareas, including, without limitation, network communications technology,linear messaging (e.g., SMS) technology, application updatingtechnology, user or client device technology, and/or the like. In otheraspects, certain embodiments, can improve the functioning of a computeror network system itself (e.g., user devices or computingdevices/systems on which applications are running and require periodicor subsequent updating, etc.), for example, by enabling implementationof data updates via linear messaging transmission of the data updates(i.e., message-driven data updating), by enabling applications runningon user devices to be updated regardless of whether the user devices arein DNA zones, and/or the like, thereby improving user device,application, network, and/or computing system functionalities orimproving user device, application, network, and/or computing systemefficiencies, and/or the like. In particular, to the extent that anyabstract concepts are present in the various embodiments, those conceptscan be implemented as described herein by devices, software, systems,and methods that involve specific novel functionality (e.g., steps oroperations), such as implementing message-driven data updating, enablingapplications running on user devices to be updated regardless of whetherthe user devices are in DNA zones, and/or the like, to name a fewexamples, that extend beyond mere conventional computer processingoperations. These functionalities can produce tangible results outsideof the implementing computer system, including, merely by way ofexample, ability to receive data updates for updating applicationsrunning on user devices despite the user devices being in DNA zones,improved user device, application, network, and/or computing systemoperations, improved user device, application, network, and/or computingsystem operation efficiencies, and/or the like, any of which may beobserved or measured by customers and/or service providers.

In an aspect, a method might comprise generating, with a first computer,a short message service (“SMS”) message containing data updates. The SMSmessage might have a format that triggers a data update analyzer in auser device to intercept the SMS message, to divert the SMS message froma queue of regular SMS messages that are displayed to a user, and toupdate one or more applications on the user device with the dataupdates. The method might further comprise sending, with the firstcomputer, the SMS message containing the data updates to the user deviceover a communications network.

In some embodiments, the format that triggers the data update analyzerto intercept the SMS message might comprise a first predetermined numberof bits indicating a start of a message, a second predetermined numberof bits indicating whether the SMS message is encrypted, a thirdpredetermined number of bits indicating whether the user is a registereduser, fourth and fifth predetermined numbers of bits indicating atemplate of the SMS message, a sixth predetermined number of bitscontaining the data updates, seventh and eighth predetermined numbers ofbits indicating bits that are reserved for future processing, ninth andtenth predetermined numbers of bits indicating whether the data updatesare being sent over multiple SMS messages, eleventh and twelfthpredetermined numbers of bits indicating whether the data updates arecurrent data or archived data, and a thirteenth predetermined number ofbits indicating an end of the message.

Merely by way of example, in some cases, generating the SMS messagemight comprise encrypting, with the first computer, the data updates andembedding, with the first computer, the encrypted data updates in theSMS message. In some instances, generating the SMS message might furthercomprise providing, with the first computer, a first indicator in theSMS message indicating that the data updates contained in the SMSmessage has been encrypted.

According to some embodiments, the method might further comprisedetermining, with the first computer, whether a user associated with theuser device is a registered user. The method might also comprise, basedon a determination that the user associated with the user is aregistered user, providing, with the first computer, a second indicatorin the SMS message indicating that the user device has beenauthenticated. The method might further comprise, based on adetermination that the user associated with the user is not a registereduser, providing, with the first computer, a third indicator in the SMSmessage indicating that the user device has not been authenticated.

In some embodiments, the method might further comprise determining, withthe first computer, whether the data updates exceed character limits ofone or more single SMS messages. Based on a determination that the dataupdates exceed character limits of one or more single SMS messages,generating the SMS message might comprise dividing, with the firstcomputer, the data updates into two or more portions, generating, withthe first computer, two or more SMS messages, and embedding, with thefirst computer, each of the two or more portions of the data updatesinto a designated one of the two or more SMS messages. In someinstances, generating the SMS message might further comprise providing,with the first computer, a fourth indicator in each of the two or moreSMS messages indicating that the data updates contained in each of thetwo or more SMS messages represent partial data updates.

The method, according to some embodiments, might further comprisedetermining, with the first computer, whether the data updates representcurrent data or archived data. The method might also comprise, based ona determination that the data updates represent current data, providing,with the first computer, a fifth indicator in the SMS message indicatingthat the data updates contained in the SMS message represent currentdata. The method might further comprise, based on a determination thatthe data updates represent archived data, providing, with the firstcomputer, a sixth indicator in the SMS message indicating that the dataupdates contained in the SMS message represent archived data.

In some cases, the method might further comprise receiving, with thefirst computer, the data updates in data format from a second computer,which is separate from the first computer.

In another aspect, a method might comprise receiving, with a userdevice, one or more short message service (“SMS”) messages containingdata updates, and determining, with the user device, that the one ormore SMS messages each have a format indicating data updates are presentrather than a regular SMS message that are displayed to a user. Themethod might also comprise, based on such determination, diverting, withthe user device, the one or more SMS messages from a queue of regularSMS messages that are displayed to the user, and extracting, with theuser device, the data updates from each of the one or more SMS messages.The method might further comprise translating, with the user device, thedata updates into a single data update file in data format, andrelaying, with the user device, the single data update file in dataformat to one or more applications running on the user device, to updatethe one or more applications.

Merely by way of example, in some cases, the format indicating dataupdates are present might comprise a first predetermined number of bitsindicating a start of a message, a second predetermined number of bitsindicating whether the SMS message is encrypted, a third predeterminednumber of bits indicating whether the user is a registered user, fourthand fifth predetermined numbers of bits indicating a template of the SMSmessage, a sixth predetermined number of bits containing the dataupdates, seventh and eighth predetermined numbers of bits indicatingbits that are reserved for future processing, ninth and tenthpredetermined numbers of bits indicating whether the data updates arebeing sent over multiple SMS messages, eleventh and twelfthpredetermined numbers of bits indicating whether the data updates arecurrent data or archived data, and a thirteenth predetermined number ofbits indicating an end of the message.

In some embodiments, the method might further comprise determining, withthe user device, whether the data updates have been encrypted. Based ona determination that the data updates have been encrypted, translatingthe data updates into a single data update file in data format mightcomprise decrypting, with the user device, the data updates contained ineach of the one or more SMS messages and translating, with the userdevice, the decrypted data updates into the single data update file indata format.

According to some embodiments, the method might further compriseupdating, with the user device, one or more applications running on theuser device, using the data updates in the single data update file.Merely by way of example, in some instances, based on a determinationthat the data updates comprise at least one of web-based usernotifications or social media-based user notifications for a userassociated with the user device, the method might further comprisedisplaying, with the user device and on a display device of the userdevice, the at least one of web-based user notifications or socialmedia-based user notifications for the user, via at least oneapplication of the one or more applications running on the user device,regardless of whether the user device is in a data-not-available (“DNA”)zone.

In yet another aspect, a system might comprise a first computer and auser device. The first computer might comprise at least one firstprocessor and a first non-transitory computer readable medium incommunication with the at least one first processor. The firstnon-transitory computer readable medium might have stored thereoncomputer software comprising a first set of instructions that, whenexecuted by the at least one first processor, causes the first computerto perform one or more functions. The first set of instructions mightcomprise instructions for generating one or more short message service(“SMS”) messages containing data updates. The one or more SMS messagesmight each have a format that triggers a data update analyzer in a userdevice to intercept the one or more SMS messages and to divert the oneor more SMS messages from a queue of regular SMS messages for display toa user. The first set of instructions might further compriseinstructions for sending the one or more SMS messages containing thedata updates to the user devices over a communications network.

The user device might comprise at least one second processor and asecond non-transitory computer readable medium in communication with theat least one second processor. The second non-transitory computerreadable medium might have stored thereon computer software comprising asecond set of instructions that, when executed by the at least onesecond processor, causes the user device to perform one or morefunctions. The second set of instructions might comprise instructionsfor receiving the one or more SMS messages containing data updates,instructions for determining that the one or more SMS messages each havea format indicating data updates are present rather than a regular SMSmessage for display to a user, and instructions for, based on suchdetermination, diverting the one or more SMS messages from a queue ofregular SMS messages for display to the user. The second set ofinstructions might further comprise instructions for extracting the dataupdates from each of the one or more SMS messages, instructions fortranslating the data updates into a single data update file in dataformat, and instructions for relaying, with the user device, the singledata update file in data format to one or more applications running onthe user device.

In still another aspect, an apparatus might comprise at least oneprocessor and a non-transitory computer readable medium in communicationwith the at least one processor. The non-transitory computer readablemedium might have stored thereon computer software comprising a set ofinstructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causesthe apparatus to perform one or more functions. The set of instructionsmight comprise instructions for generating one or more short messageservice (“SMS”) messages containing data updates. The one or more SMSmessages might each have a format that triggers a data update analyzerin a user device to intercept the one or more SMS messages and to divertthe one or more SMS messages from a queue of regular SMS messages fordisplay to a user. The set of instructions might further compriseinstructions for sending the one or more SMS messages containing thedata updates to the user devices over a communications network.

According to some embodiments, the set of instructions might furthercomprise instructions for determining that at least one SMS message ofthe one or more SMS messages containing the data updates has not beenreceived by the user device. In some cases, the set of instructionsmight further comprise instructions for, based on a determination thatat least one SMS message of the one or more SMS messages containing thedata updates has not been received by the user device, resending the atleast one SMS message to the user device over the communications networkon a periodic basis until it has been determined that the at least oneSMS message has been received by the user device.

In some embodiments, the set of instructions might further compriseinstructions for determining that the user device has entered adata-not-available (“DNA”) zone while at least one SMS message of theone or more SMS messages containing the data updates is being sent tothe user device. In some instances, the set of instructions mightfurther comprise instructions for, based on a determination that theuser device has entered a DNA zone while at least one SMS message of theone or more SMS messages containing the data updates is being sent tothe user device, resending the at least one SMS message to the userdevice over the communications network on a periodic basis until it hasbeen determined that the at least one SMS message has been received bythe user device

Merely by way of example, in some cases, the set of instructions mightfurther comprise instructions for determining that the user device isoffline while at least one SMS message of the one or more SMS messagescontaining the data updates is being sent to the user device. In somecases, the set of instructions might further comprise instructions for,based on a determination that the user device is offline while at leastone SMS message of the one or more SMS messages containing the dataupdates is being sent to the user device, resending the at least one SMSmessage to the user device over the communications network on a periodicbasis until it has been determined that the at least one SMS message hasbeen received by the user device. In some embodiments, the computermight be one of a server computer or a cloud-based server.

In another aspect, a user device might comprise at least one processorand a non-transitory computer readable medium in communication with theat least one processor. The non-transitory computer readable mediummight have stored thereon computer software comprising a set ofinstructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causesthe user device to perform one or more functions. The set ofinstructions might comprise instructions for receiving one or more shortmessage service (“SMS”) messages containing data updates. The one ormore SMS messages might each have a format that triggers a data updateanalyzer in a user device to intercept the one or more SMS messages andto divert the one or more SMS messages from a queue of regular SMSmessages for display to a user. The set of instructions might alsocomprise instructions for determining that the one or more SMS messageseach have a format indicating data updates are present rather than aregular SMS message for display to a user and instructions for, based onsuch determination, diverting the one or more SMS messages from a queueof regular SMS messages for display to the user. The set of instructionsmight further comprise instructions for extracting the data updates fromeach of the one or more SMS messages, instructions for translating thedata updates into a single data update file in data format, andinstructions for relaying, with the user device, the single data updatefile in data format to one or more applications running on the userdevice.

In yet another aspect, a method might comprise generating, with a firstcomputer, data updates in a linear messaging format. The linearmessaging format might have a format that triggers a data updateanalyzer in a user device to intercept the data updates, and to updateone or more applications on the user device with the data updates. Themethod might further comprise sending, with the first computer, the dataupdates in the linear messaging format to the user device over a linearmessaging communications network.

In some embodiments, the data updates might comprise at least one ofapplication updates, media content updates, service updates, web-baseduser notifications, or social media-based user notifications. Merely byway of example, in some cases, generating, with the first computer, dataupdates in a linear messaging format might comprise generating, with thefirst computer, one or more short message service (“SMS”) messagescontaining the data updates. The one or more SMS messages might eachhave a format that triggers the data update analyzer in the user deviceto intercept the one or more SMS messages, to divert the one or more SMSmessages from the queue of regular SMS messages that are displayed tothe user, and to update the one or more applications on the user devicewith the data updates.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the embodimentsdiscussed without departing from the scope of the invention. Forexample, while the embodiments described above refer to particularfeatures, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments havingdifferent combination of features and embodiments that do not includeall of the above described features.

Specific Exemplary Embodiments

We now turn to the embodiments as illustrated by the drawings. FIGS. 1-9illustrate some of the features of the method, system, and apparatus forimplementing message-driven data updates that, in some cases, utilizesprotocols for data transmission through short message service (“SMS”)messaging, as referred to above. The methods, systems, and apparatusesillustrated by FIGS. 1-9 refer to examples of different embodiments thatinclude various components and steps, which can be consideredalternatives or which can be used in conjunction with one another in thevarious embodiments. The description of the illustrated methods,systems, and apparatuses shown in FIGS. 1-9 is provided for purposes ofillustration and should not be considered to limit the scope of thedifferent embodiments.

With reference to the figures, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagramillustrating a system 100 for implementing message-driven data updates,in accordance with various embodiments. The embodiments as representedin FIG. 1 are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit thescope of the various embodiments.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, system 100 might comprise one or morecomputing systems 105 and one or more user devices 110. The one or morecomputing systems 105 might each include, but is not limited to, aserver computer 105 a, a mobile switching center (“MSC”) 105 b, and/orthe like. The one or more user devices 110 might each include, withoutlimitation, a tablet computer 110 a, a smart phone 110 b, a mobile phone110 c, a portable gaming device 110 d, a navigation device 110 e, adatabase 110 f, a server computer 110 g, a desktop computer 110 h, alaptop computer 110 i, or any other suitable user device 105 j, and thelike. At least one computing system 105 of the one or more computingsystems 105 might communicatively couple with at least one user device110 of the one or more user devices 110 via one or more networks 115,and, in some cases, via one or more telecommunications relay systems120.

The one or more networks 115 might each include any suitable network,including, but not limited to, a local area network (“LAN”), including,without limitation, a fiber network, an Ethernet network, a Token-Ring™network and/or the like; a wide-area network (“WAN”); a wireless widearea network (“WWAN”); a virtual network, such as a virtual privatenetwork (“VPN”); the Internet; an intranet; an extranet; a publicswitched telephone network (“PSTN”); an infra-red network; a wirelessnetwork, including, without limitation, a network operating under any ofthe IEEE 802.11 suite of protocols, the Bluetooth™ protocol known in theart, and/or any other wireless protocol; or any combination of theseand/or other networks. The one or more telecommunications relay systems120 might include, without limitation, one or more wireless networkinterfaces (e.g., wireless modems, wireless access points, and thelike), one or more towers, one or more satellites, and/or the like.

According to some embodiments, system 100 might further comprise one ormore databases 125 that are each communicatively coupled with the atleast one computing system 105. For instance, as shown in thenon-limiting example of FIG. 1, database 125 a might communicativelycouple with server computer 105 a, while database 125 b mightcommunicatively couple with MSC 105 b, or the like.

Merely by way of example, in some embodiments, system 100 might furthercomprise one or more service providers 130, including, withoutlimitation, a first service provider 130 a, a second service provider130 b, through an N^(th) service provider 130 n. Each service provider130 might be associated with an application server(s) 135 that iscommunicatively coupled to a database 140. For instance, the firstservice provider 130 a might be associated with first application server135 a and database 140 a that is communicatively coupled therewith,while the second service provider 130 b might be associated with secondapplication server 135 b and database 140 b that is communicativelycoupled therewith, and the N^(th) service provider 130 n might beassociated with N^(th) application server 135 n and database 140 n thatis communicatively coupled therewith. Each of the first through N^(th)application servers 135 a-135 n (as well as the databases 140 a-140 n)might be communicatively coupled with the at least one computing system105 and/or the at least one user device 110 via the network(s) 115 (and,in some cases, via the one or more telecommunications relay systems120).

In operation, in accordance with some embodiments, the computing system105 might receive data updates in a data format from an applicationserver 135, the data updates being intended to update one or moreapplications running on one or more user devices 110. The computingsystem 105 might generate data updates in a linear messaging format(e.g., in a SMS message format), based at least in part on the receiveddata updates in data format, in some cases by translating the dataupdates in data format into data updates in the linear messaging (e.g.,SMS) format. The computing system 105 might subsequently send the dataupdates in linear messaging format to at least one user device 110 viathe network 115 (and, in some cases, via the one or moretelecommunications relay systems 120).

In some instances, the data updates might be encrypted or secured, andan indicator might be included in the linear message in which the dataupdate is embedded indicating that the data updates are encrypted. Insome embodiments, the computing system might determine whether the userand/or the at least one user device 110 that is associated with the user(in some cases, based on a device identification, including, but notlimited to, a telephone number, a MAC address, a device ID code, aserial number, an e-mail address, etc.) might be authorized to receivethe data updates and/or whether the user associated with the user deviceis a registered user. If determined to be authorized or registered, anindicator might be included in the in the linear message in which thedata update is embedded indicating that the user and/or the user devicehas been authenticated. In some cases, a template of the data messageframe that makes up the linear message in which the data update isembedded might be identified in an indicator that is included in saidlinear message.

According to some embodiments, the computing system might determinewhether the data update exceeds character limits of one or more singlelinear (e.g., SMS) messages. If the data update is determined to exceedcharacter limits of single linear messages, the computing system mightdivide the data update into two or more portions, might generate two ormore linear (e.g., SMS) messages, and might embed, each of the two ormore portions of the data update into a designated one of the two ormore linear messages. In some cases, an indicator might be included ineach of the two or more linear messages indicating that the data updatecontained in each of the two or more linear (e.g., SMS) messagesrepresent partial data update. In alternative cases, all but the lastlinear message might indicate partial data update, while the last linearmessage might indicate that the data update is now complete (after thelast linear message is sent and received).

In some embodiments, the computing system might determine whether thedata updates represent current data or old (i.e., archived) data. If thedata is determined to be current, an indicator might be included in thelinear message in which the data update is embedded indicating that thedata updates are current. If the data is determined to be archived orold, an indicator might be included in the linear message in which thedata update is embedded indicating that the data updates are archived orold. In a similar manner, if it is determined that there is no data orif the data is junk data, an indicator might be included in the linearmessage in which the data update is embedded indicating that the dataupdates represent no data or junk data.

According to some embodiments, the translated data updates might beembedded within the data portion of a data message frame that makes upthe linear message. For an SMS message, the data message frame (asdescribed in detail in FIGS. 2A-2I below) might be 160 characters long.However, when data blocks—i.e., data blocks for indicating whether thedata update is secure, whether the user or user device is authenticated,what template the data message frame is using or is arranged in,reserved indicators (i.e., indicators that might be configured at alater time for as-yet unspecified functionalities or states), whatcondition the data update are in (i.e., whether complete or partial),what status the data update has (i.e., whether the data update iscurrent or old), and/or the like—are taken into account, the dataportion in which the data update is embedded might be about 150characters long.

Because SMS messages may be sent and received regardless of whether auser device is in a network data available zone, data or data updatesmay continue to be sent to the user device to update applicationsrunning thereon, regardless of whether the user device is in a“data-not-available” (“DNA”) zone.

FIGS. 2A-2I (collectively, “FIG. 2”) is a block diagram illustratingvarious embodiments of a message data framework 200 that may be usedwhen implementing message-driven data updates. The embodiments asrepresented in FIG. 2 are merely illustrative and are not intended tolimit the scope of the various embodiments.

With reference to the embodiment of FIG. 2A, data message frame 200might comprise a plurality of data blocks 205, each comprising apredetermined number of bits of data that may be the same or differentfrom other data blocks 205. In some embodiments, the plurality of datablocks 205 might comprise a first data block 205 a, a second data block205 b, a third data block 205 c, a fourth data block 205 d, a fifth datablock 205 e, a sixth data block 205 f, a seventh data block 205 g, aneighth data block 205 h, a ninth data block 205 i, a tenth data block205 j, an eleventh data block 205 k, a twelfth data block 205 l, and athirteenth data block 205 m, or the like.

According to some embodiments, the first and thirteenth data blocks 205a and 205 m might be associated with “start” and “end” data blocks,respectively, indicating the start and end of a data update or messagedata in linear messaging format. The “start” data block might include a“start” indicator, which in some instances might comprise a “#” symbol(sometimes referred to as a “hashtag” or “hash” mark, as a “pound sign,”or as a “number sign”), or the like. The “end” data block might includean “end” indicator, which in some cases might comprise a “$” symbol(sometimes referred to as a “dollar” sign), or the like.

The second and third data blocks 205 b and 205 c might be associatedwith “security” and “authentication” data blocks, respectivelyindicating whether or not the data update or message data is secure orencrypted and whether or not the user and/or user device isauthenticated. For example, an indicator “S” provided in the second (or“security”) data block 205 b might indicate that the data or dataupdates are secure or encrypted, while an indicator “X” provided in thesame data block (i.e., the second (or “security”) data block 205 b)might indicate that the data or data updates are neither secure norencrypted. In a similar manner, an indicator “A” provided in the third(or “authentication”) data block 205 c might indicate that the userand/or user device are registered and/or have been authenticated, whilean indicator “X” provided in the same data block (i.e., the third (or“authentication”) data block 205 c) might indicate that the user and/oruser device are neither registered nor have been authenticated.

With reference to FIG. 2B, as shown in security and authentication(“S&A”) data blocks 210 a, an authenticated user/user device withunencrypted data or data updates might have indicators “X” and “A” inthe second and third data blocks 205 b and 205 c, respectively. As shownin S&A data blocks 210 b, a non-registered or non-authenticateduser/user device with encrypted data or data updates might haveindicators “S” and “X” in the second and third data blocks 205 b and 205c, respectively. As shown in S&A data blocks 210 c, an authenticateduser/user device with encrypted data or data updates might haveindicators “S” and “A” in the second and third data blocks 205 b and 205c, respectively. And, as shown in S&A data blocks 210 d, anon-registered or non-authenticated user/user device with unencrypteddata or data updates might have indicators “X” and “X” in the second andthird data blocks 205 b and 205 c, respectively.

In some cases, the fourth and fifth data blocks 205 d and 205 e might beassociated with “template” data blocks, indicating what message templateor message format the data message frame 200 is currently using.Referring to FIG. 2C, in some embodiments, the fourth data block 205 dmight include an indicator “T” while the fifth data block 205 e mighthave a numerical indicator between “1” and “9” (as shown in “template”data blocks 215 a-215 n). The default template might be “T1” (as shownin “template” data blocks 215 a), with the particular order of datablocks 205 a-205 m as shown in FIG. 2A. Other templates might havedifferent order in terms of data blocks. For example, in template “T2”(as shown in “template” data blocks 215 b), the data portion 205 f mightbe split into two, with the first half positioned between the “start”data block 205 a and the “security” data block 205 b, and the secondhalf positioned between the “authentication” data block 205 c and the“template” data block 205 d. The “T” followed by a single-digit numeralallows for easy identification of the “template” data blocks (assumingthat the data portion does not or is not likely to contain an upper-case“T” followed by a single-digit numeral).

The sixth data block 205 f, in some embodiments, might represent a datablock containing the data, which might be embodied as a data update, amessage, and/or the like. The data, according to some embodiments, mightinclude, but is not limited to, a set of alphabetic characters in upperand/or lower case (i.e., “a-z” and/or “A-Z”), a set of numbers, a set ofspecial characters (e.g., “_”; “!”; “@”; “%”; “^”; “&”; “*”; “(”; “)”;“+”; “−”; “/”; “.”; “?”; “˜”; “′”; “=”; and/or the like), or acombination of these. In some instances, the alphabetic characters mightalso, or alternatively, include, without limitation, InternationalOrganization for Standardization (“ISO”), Latin, (“ANSI”), (“GSM”),(“USC”), Chinese, Unicode, Binary, Hexadecimal characters, and/or thelike.

For an SMS message, the data message frame (as shown in FIG. 2A) mightbe 160 characters long. However, as shown in FIG. 2D, when datablocks—i.e., data blocks for indicating whether the data update issecure, whether the user or user device is authenticated, what templatethe data message frame is using or is arranged in, reserved indicators(i.e., indicators that might be configured at a later time for as-yetunspecified functionalities or states), what condition the data updateare in (i.e., whether complete or partial), what status the data updatehas (i.e., whether the data update is current or old), and/or thelike—are taken into account, the data portion in which the data updateis embedded might be about 150 characters long. If the data or dataupdates being delivered are less than 150 characters, empty placeholders (in some embodiments, underscore or “_”) are used to fill therest of the data portion—i.e., so as to fill the 150 character spacewith the data or data updates and the “_” or underscore characters.

According to some embodiments, the seventh and eighth data blocks 205 gand 205 h might be reserved for as-yet unspecified functionalities orstates, future enhancement, future operations, and/or the like. Atpresent, the “reserved” data blocks might include indicators such as “_”or the like. In some cases, the “reserved” data blocks, as a futureenhancement or the like, might be used to signal presence priority dataor data updates. For example, if indicators including, but not limitedto, “!!” or the like are included in the seventh and eighth data blocks205 g and 205 h, it may be determined that the data or data updatescontained in the linear message are priority data or data updates. Insuch a case, the priority data or data updates may be put in queue fortranslation and relay to applications ahead of other data or dataupdates (which might have been received before the priority data or dataupdates were received).

In some embodiments, the ninth and tenth data blocks 205 i and 205 jmight be associated with “condition” data blocks, indicating whether thedata or data updates have been received completely or partially, orwhether the data or data updates represent empty data. In some cases,“no data-MDF” might invoke a request message back to a server orcomputing system (e.g., computing system 105). With reference to FIG.2E, as shown in “condition” data blocks 205 i and 205 j, an indicator“C” might indicate a complete set of data or data updates, while anindicator “P” might indicate a partial set of data or data updates. Forexample, as shown in “condition” data blocks 220 a, a complete set ofdata or data updates (whether individually complete (i.e., single linearmessage data or data updates) or a last of linear message of a group ofmulti-message data or data updates) might have indicators “C” and “X” inthe ninth and tenth data blocks 205 i and 205 j, respectively. As shownin “condition” data blocks 220 b, a partial set of data or data updates(i.e., indicating data or data updates spanning two or more linearmessages) might have indicators “X” and “P” in the ninth and tenth datablocks 205 i and 205 j, respectively. As shown in “condition” datablocks 220 c, a “no data” or “empty data” MDF or linear message mighthave indicators “X” and “X” in the ninth and tenth data blocks 205 i and205 j, respectively.

In some instances, the eleventh and twelfth data blocks 205 k and 205 lmight be associated with “status” data blocks, indicating whether thedata or data updates are current or old (i.e., archived) data. Withreference to FIG. 2F, as shown in “status” data blocks 205 k and 205 l,an indicator “L” might indicate current data or data updates, while anindicator “Z” might indicate old (or archived) data or data updates. Forexample, as shown in “status” data blocks 225 a, current data or dataupdates might have indicators “L” and “X” in the eleventh and twelfthdata blocks 205 k and 205 l, respectively. As shown in “status” datablocks 225 b, old (or archived) data or data updates might haveindicators “X” and “Z” in the eleventh and twelfth data blocks 205 k and205 l, respectively. As shown in “status” data blocks 225 c, a “no data”or “junk data” MDF or linear message might have indicators “X” and “X”in the eleventh and twelfth data blocks 205 k and 205 l, respectively.

FIGS. 2G-2I depict example MDFs, in accordance with various embodiments.For example, with reference to FIG. 2G, an encrypted data or data updatewith a registered or authenticated user or user device, using thedefault template (i.e., template “T1”), that is complete and current,and that has data containing the string “Welcome to MDF API . . . ,”might have an MDF 200 that contains the following:“#SAT1Welcome_to_MDF_API_ . . . _(——————)CXLX$.” Turning to FIG. 2H, anMDF 200, which is structured using template “T2,” as mentioned above,but is otherwise identical to the MDF of FIG. 2G, might contain thefollowing: “#Welcome_to_MDF_SAAPI_ . . . _(——————)T1_CXLX$.” Formulti-message data, as shown in FIG. 2I, an MDF 200, that is otherwiseidentical to the MDF of FIG. 2G, might contain the following twomessages, for example: “#SAT1Welcome_to_MDF_(———)XPLX$” and “#SAT1API_ .. . _(——————)CXLX$.” Although FIGS. 2G-2I depict a string “Welcome toMDF API . . . ,” the various embodiments are not so limited, and thedata portion 205 f of the one or more linear messages might contain anysuitable data, message, or data update, and the like.

FIGS. 3A and 3B (collectively, “FIG. 3”) are schematic diagramsillustrating another system 300 for implementing message-driven dataupdates, in accordance with various embodiments. The embodiments asrepresented in FIG. 3 are merely illustrative and are not intended tolimit the scope of the various embodiments.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3A, system 300 might comprise server 105, userdevice 110, network 310, and SMS transmission media 330. Server 105might include, without limitation, network communications device 305, aSMS generator 315, a software component 320, a transceiver 325, and/orthe like. The user device 110 might include, but is not limited to, atransceiver 335, a SMS handler 340, a software component 345, one ormore applications 350 a-350 n (collectively, “applications 350”), and/orthe like.

In operation, according to some embodiments, the network communicationsdevice 305 might receive, via network 310, data or data updates in dataformat. SMS generator 315 might generate one or more SMS messages. Thesoftware component 320 might encrypt the data or data messages. One ofthe SMS generator 315 or the software component 320 might embed the(encrypted) data or data updates in the one or more SMS messages. Thetransceiver 325 might send the one or more SMS messages (containing thedata or data updates)—i.e., might send the data or data updates inlinear messaging (in this case, SMS) format—to transceiver 335 of userdevice 110 via SMS transmission media 330.

Transceiver 335 might receive the one or more SMS messages (containingthe data or data updates)—i.e., might receive the data or data updatesin linear messaging (in this case, SMS) format. The SMS handler 340(which in some cases might be referred to as a “data update analyzer” orthe like) might scan the incoming or received SMS messages to identify,based on indicators therein or lack thereof, data or data updates in SMSformat as opposed to message-only SMS (i.e., regular SMS messages). Theregular SMS messages are directed to SMS applications that allow theuser to view the SMS messages, while the data or data updates in SMSformat are diverted to the software component 345. The softwarecomponent 345 might locate the encrypted data or data updates in the SMSmessage (based, e.g., on the template indicators in the template datablocks), and might decrypt the data or data updates. In someembodiments, the SMS handler 340 might pass along the data or dataupdates in SMS format only if the authentication data block indicatesthat either the user is a registered user and/or the user device 110 isa registered device. The software component 345 might decrypt data ordata updates if and only if the security and authentication data blocksindicate that the data or data updates are encrypted and that the useris a registered user and/or the user device 110 is a registered device.

If it is determined based on the condition data blocks (by at least oneof SMS handler 340 or software component 345) that the data or dataupdates represent partial data or data updates, the software component345 might compile or stitch together the decrypted portions of data ordata updates from two or more SMS messages to form a single, completeset of data or data updates. For single message data or data updates, nocompiling or stitching is required, as the data or data updatescontained therein already represent a single, complete set of data ordata updates. The software component 345 might then determine which oneor more applications 350 should receive the data or data updates, andmight send to the appropriate application(s) 350 the single, completeset of data or data updates. According to some embodiments, the softwarecomponent 345 might send the single, complete set of data or dataupdates to the identified appropriate application(s) 350 if and only ifthe status data blocks indicate that the data or data updates representcurrent data or data updates. In some cases, archived data or dataupdates might only be sent to particular applications 350 only ifrequested by the particular applications 350.

FIG. 3B depicts a different view of the system 300 above. In theembodiment of FIG. 3B, server (which might be a LAN server, a networkserver, a cloud server, or the like) might send or receive SMS messagesvia network/transmission media 330. The SMS messages might includemessage-only SMS messages, data or data updates in SMS format, or acombination of these. The SMS handler 340 might sort through the SMSmessages, and might pass along data or data updates in SMS format to atranslator 345 (which might have functionality similar to, if notidentical to, that of software component 345, as described in detailabove), and might forward the data or data updates to appropriate one(s)of the applications 350. Although not shown in FIG. 3, in someembodiments, for two-way transmission of SMS messages containing data ordata updates, the server 105 and the user device 110 might have similaror identical sets of SMS generators/SMS handlers, software components,etc. for generating, encrypting, and/or embedding (and in some cases,dividing into multiple SMS messages) data or data updates in SMSmessages as well as for handling, sorting, diverting, extracting,decrypting, and/or relaying (and in some cases, combining from multipleSMS messages) data or data updates from the SMS messages to applicationsrunning on user devices or to application servers, or the like.

As described above, because SMS messages may be sent and receivedregardless of whether a user device is in a network data available zone,data or data updates may continue to be sent to the user device toupdate applications running thereon, regardless of whether the userdevice is in a “data-not-available” (“DNA”) zone.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating yet another system 400 forimplementing message-driven data updates, in accordance with variousembodiments. The embodiments as represented in FIG. 4 are merelyillustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the variousembodiments.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, system 400 might comprise a frameworkportion, a protocol portion, and a features or services portion.According to some embodiments, the framework portion might refer to anarchitecture that might handle the entire (or at least a substantialportion of) the MDF process, and might use existing elements as well asintroducing unique aspects specific to MDF. At the heart of MDF is theprotocol portion being developed and implemented. The protocol portion(the MDF structure of which is as described in detail with respect toFIG. 2) details the parameters and constructs that are needed at runtime and/or at execution. The features or services portion might referto features or services that use MDF to deliver value added features orservices.

In the framework portion, a server 405 might communicate with abroadcast channel 410, and might exchange data or data updates. Theserver 405 might utilize MDF protocol stack and definition 415 totranslate data or data updates in data format (received from thebroadcast channel 410) into data or data updates in linear messagingformat (e.g., SMS format), which might have the structure of MDF 420(various embodiments of which are described in detail above with respectto FIG. 2), for updating applications running on a user device (e.g.,user device 110 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3). The applications mightprovide features or services including, but not limited to,subscription-based services 425, presence-based services 430, priorityalert services 435, static feeds replacing rich site summary (“RSS”)feeds 440, and/or the like. Other features or services (although notshown) might include, without limitation, override message services,social network services, and/or the like.

In some embodiments, for presence-based services, a user can get alertsand notifications on an application screen (via the MDF implementationdescribed above) even in the absence of data network connectivity ordata network availability. The alerts and notifications might correspondto options that might be associated with sale, food, ATMs, servicestations, any amenities around the user, and/or the like. In some cases,for override message services, there may be several scenarios in which auser might need to be alerted and whose attention may need to begrabbed. For example, for emergency alerts, application alerts, flashnews, stock data, varying ticket rates, special offers, etc., the MDFmight check the special “reserved” characters for indicators, including,but not limited to, “!!” so that it parses accordingly and notifies theuser on a priority basis. According to some embodiments, for socialnetwork services, social media updates on different platforms (e.g.,Facebook™, LinkedIn™, Twitter™, etc.) can be displayed on the user orclient device, via the MDF implementation, even in the absence of datanetwork connectivity or data network availability. Using the MDFimplementation, articles or social media updates may be posted back towebsites of the platforms, even in the absence of data networkconnectivity or data network availability

The server 405 might similarly utilize MDF protocol stack and definition415 to translate data or data updates in linear messaging format (e.g.,SMS format) (which might be received from a user device) into data ordata updates in data format, for sending to an application server(s) ofa service provider(s) (e.g., application server(s) 135 of FIG. 1) viabroadcast channel 410.

FIGS. 5A-5C (collectively, “FIG. 5”) are schematic diagrams illustratingprocess flows 500 for implementing message-driven data updates from theperspective of a client device, a server, and an application programminginterface (“API”) at the client device, in accordance with variousembodiments. In particular, FIG. 5 depicts installation andauthentication for message data framework setup, in accordance withvarious embodiments. The embodiments as represented in FIG. 5 are merelyillustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the variousembodiments.

With reference to FIG. 5A, from the perspective of a client device(e.g., a user device 110 of FIGS. 1 and 3), application 505 running onthe client device might cause an application screen to be displayed(e.g., as a graphical user interface (“GUI”) or the like) on a displayscreen of the client device (which might be integrated therewith (as intablet computers, smart phones, mobile phones, portable gaming devices,laptop computers, or the like) or external to the client device (as indesktop computers, server computers, or the like). The application mightutilize MDF, as described in detail above. On application screen 510, atelephone number or other identifier code associated with the userand/or the user device, along with an option (embodied as a soft buttonor the like) to verify the telephone number or other identifier code,might be displayed. When the user clicks on, presses, or activates the“verify” key, the telephone number or other identifier code is sent to aserver 520 (e.g., server 105 or 405 in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4).

The server 520 might receive the telephone number or other identifiercode, might receive message details, might save the telephone number orother identifier code in a storage device (e.g., database 125 of FIG.1), and might send an acknowledgment code to the client device. Onapplication screen 515, the acknowledgment code might be displayed,along with an option (embodied as a soft button or the like) to save theacknowledgment code. Thereafter, the application 505 might start up andmight begin providing services associated with the application 505.

We now turn to FIG. 5B, which is shown from the perspective of theserver. Applications or programs 530 running on the server 520 mightreceive registration information 545 (including, without limitation,mobile number or other identifier code, or the like) from client device535, might verify the mobile number (or other identifier code, or thelike) with storage details (such as information stored in storage device540), might register the number (or other identifier code, or the like)if not already present or not already registered and might store thenumber (or other identifier code, or the like) in the storage device 540(along with status information, time/date stamps, and any additionaldetails, or the like), and might send an acknowledgment 550 to theclient 535, in a manner similar, if not identical, to the process of theembodiment of FIG. 5A.

Upon removing an application 555 (e.g., after receiving, at the clientdevice 535, a request from the user to remove the application), theserver 520 might change the status of the mobile number (or otheridentifier code, or the like) to “idle”; information about the mobilenumber (or other identifier code, or the like) might still be stored inthe storage device 540. Although not shown, when the same application isinstalled again, the client application is registered again, at whichpoint, the server status of the mobile number (or other identifier code,or the like) might be changed from “idle” to “active.” Uponunsubscribing services 560 (e.g., after receiving, at the client device535, a request from the user to unsubscribe services), the server 520might change the status of the mobile number (or other identifier code,or the like) to “stop”; information about the mobile number (or otheridentifier code, or the like) might still be stored in the storagedevice 540.

Referring to the embodiment of FIG. 5C, which is shown from theperspective of an API running within the client device 535, an SMS box(in some cases, an “inbox”) might send data or data updates in SMSformat to API (or translator) 570 (which might correspond to translatoror software component 345 of FIG. 3), which might read (during process575) the data or data updates in SMS format, might translate the data ordata updates in SMS format into data or data updates in a single,complete set of data or data updates in data format, and might relay thesingle, complete set of data or data updates in data format to anappropriate application(s) 585. In some cases, the application 585 mightdisplay data or other interface elements on a display device of theclient device as part of the services being offered by running of theapplication 585 (in some instances, in response to receiving the data ordata updates; in other instances, as a normal course of operation forthe application 585).

According to some embodiments, the application 585 might itself senddata or data update information (e.g., request for data or data updates,tracking information, identifier information, reports, etc.) to anapplication server(s) associated with a service provider(s) (e.g.,application server(s) 135 of FIG. 1). The API 570 might receive the dataor data update information (which would be in data format) from theapplication 585, might translate the data or data update information indata format to data or data update information in SMS format (in somecases, by dividing the data or data update information into two or moreportions and embedding the two or more portions into designated ones oftwo or more SMS messages), and might send the data or data updateinformation (during process 580) to the SMS Box 565 (in this case, an“outbox” or “sent box”) for sending to the application server(s). Theclient device 535 might, in some embodiments, also have operating system(“OS”) services running in conjunction with, or independent from, theapplication 585, to provide OS type services.

Although not specifically described with reference to FIG. 5, the API570 might decrypt any encrypted data or data updates that are read(during process 575), and might encrypt any data or data updateinformation that are sent (during process 580), in a manner similar to,if not identical to, the processes for encryption and decryption asdescribed in detail above.

FIGS. 6A-6C (collectively, “FIG. 6”) are flow diagrams illustrating amethod 600 for implementing message-driven data updates by generatingand sending data updates in a linear messaging format, in accordancewith various embodiments. The embodiments as represented in FIG. 6 aremerely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of thevarious embodiments. With reference to FIG. 6, method 600 in FIG. 6Bcontinues onto FIGS. 6B and 6C, linked by circular markers denoted by“A,” “B,” “C,” and “D.” FIGS. 6B and 6C illustrate alternativeembodiments for generating data updates in a linear messaging format inblock 610 of FIG. 6A.

While the techniques and procedures are depicted and/or described in acertain order for purposes of illustration, it should be appreciatedthat certain procedures may be reordered and/or omitted within the scopeof various embodiments. Moreover, while the method illustrated by FIG. 6can be implemented by or with (and, in some cases, are described belowwith respect to) the systems 100, 300, 400 of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4,respectively (or components thereof) as well as message data framework200 of FIG. 2 and process flows 500 of FIG. 5, such methods may also beimplemented using any suitable hardware implementation, data framework,or process flow. Similarly, while each of the systems 100, 300, 400 ofFIGS. 1, 3, and 4, respectively (or components thereof) as well asmessage data framework 200 of FIG. 2 and process flows 500 of FIG. 5 canoperate or be used according to the method illustrated by FIG. 6 (e.g.,by executing instructions embodied on a computer readable medium), thesystems 100, 300, 400 can each also operate according to other modes ofoperation and/or perform other suitable procedures, and the dataframework 200 and process flows 500 each can be used according to othermodes of operation and/or perform other suitable procedures.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6A, method 600 might comprise, at block 605,receiving, with a first computer, data updates in a data format from asecond computer. At block 610, method 600 might comprise generating,with the first computer, data updates in a linear messaging format(e.g., in a SMS message format), to update one or more applications on auser device with the data updates, based at least in part on thereceived data updates in data format. Method 615, at block 615, mightcomprise sending, with the first computer, the data updates in thelinear messaging format (e.g., SMS message containing the data updates)to the user device over a communications network (e.g., SMScommunications network).

With reference to FIG. 6B, the process of generating data updates in alinear messaging format (e.g., in a SMS message format) might include,without limitation, encrypting the data updates, authenticating a user,splitting data updates into multiple portions, and marking the data asbeing current or archived, or the like. These various embodimentsinvolved with generating the data updates is depicted by the methodcontinuing from the process at 610 block to optional blocks 620, 635,650, and 675, linked by circular markers denoted by “A,” “B,” “C,” and“D,” respectively.

At optional block 620, method 600 might comprise encrypting, with thefirst computer, the data updates. Method 600, at optional block 625,might comprise embedding, with the first computer, the encrypted dataupdates in the linear message (e.g., SMS message). Method 600 mightfurther comprise providing, with the first computer, a first indicatorin the linear message (e.g., SMS) message indicating that the dataupdates contained in the linear (e.g., SMS) message has been encrypted(optional block 630). In some instances, the first indicator mightcorrespond to indicator “S” in security block 205 b of FIG. 2.

At optional block 635, method 600 might comprise determining, with thefirst computer, whether a user associated with the user device is aregistered user. Method 600 might further comprise, based on adetermination that the user associated with the user device is aregistered user, providing, with the first computer, a second indicatorin the linear (e.g., SMS) message indicating that the user device hasbeen authenticated (optional block 640). Method 600 might, at optionalblock 645, comprise, based on a determination that the user associatedwith the user device is not a registered user, providing, with the firstcomputer, a third indicator in the linear (e.g., SMS) message indicatingthat the user device has not been authenticated. In some instances, thesecond and third indicators might correspond to indicators “A” and “X,”respectively, in authentication block 205 c of FIG. 2.

At optional block 650 (as shown in FIG. 6C), method 600 might comprisedetermining, with the first computer, whether the data updates exceedcharacter limits of one or more single linear (e.g., SMS) messages.Method 600 might further comprise based on a determination that the dataupdates exceed the character limits of one or more single linear (e.g.,SMS) message, dividing, with the first computer, the data updates intotwo or more portions (optional block 655), generating, with the firstcomputer, two or more linear (e.g., SMS) messages (optional block 660),and embedding, with the first computer, each of the two or more portionsof the data updates into a designated one of the two or more linear(e.g., SMS) messages (optional block 665). Method 600, at optional block670, might comprise providing, with the first computer, a fourthindicator in each of the two or more linear (e.g., SMS) messagesindicating that the data updates contained in each of the two or morelinear (e.g., SMS) messages represent partial data updates. In someinstances, the fourth indicator might correspond to indicator “P” incondition block 205 j of FIG. 2. Alternatively, according to someembodiments, while the first through the second last linear (e.g., SMS)message might include the fourth indicator, the last of the two or morelinear (e.g., SMS) messages might include another indicator (that mightcorrespond to indicator “C” in condition block 205 i) that mightindicate that the entire data update is now complete. In otherembodiments, based on a determination that the data updates do notexceed character limits of a single linear (e.g., SMS) message, theother indicator (corresponding to indicator “C” in condition block 205i) might be provided.

At optional block 675, method 600 might comprise determining, with thefirst computer, whether the data updates represent current data or old(i.e., archived) data. Method 600, at optional block 680, mightcomprise, based on a determination that the data updates representcurrent data, providing, with the first computer, a fifth indicator inthe linear (e.g., SMS) message indicating that the data updatescontained in the linear (e.g., SMS) message represent current data.Method 600 might further comprise, based on a determination that thedata updates represent archived data, providing, with the firstcomputer, a sixth indicator in the linear (e.g., SMS) message indicatingthat the data updates contained in the linear (e.g., SMS) messagerepresent archived data (optional block 685). In some instances, thefifth and sixth indicators might correspond to indicators “L” and “Z,”respectively, in blocks 205 k and 205 l, respectively, of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 7A-7B (collectively, “FIG. 7”) are flow diagrams illustrating amethod 700 for implementing message-driven data updates by translatingand applying data updates that are received in a linear messagingformat, in accordance with various embodiments. While the techniques andprocedures are depicted and/or described in a certain order for purposesof illustration, it should be appreciated that certain procedures may bereordered and/or omitted within the scope of various embodiments.Moreover, while the method illustrated by FIG. 7 can be implemented byor with (and, in some cases, are described below with respect to) thesystems 100, 300, 400 of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, respectively (or componentsthereof) as well as message data framework 200 of FIG. 2 and processflows 500 of FIG. 5, such methods may also be implemented using anysuitable hardware implementation, data framework, or process flow.Similarly, while each of the systems 100, 300, 400 of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4,respectively (or components thereof) as well as message data framework200 of FIG. 2 and process flows 500 of FIG. 5 can operate or be usedaccording to the method illustrated by FIG. 7 (e.g., by executinginstructions embodied on a computer readable medium), the systems 100,300, 400 can each also operate according to other modes of operationand/or perform other suitable procedures, and the data framework 200 andprocess flows 500 each can be used according to other modes of operationand/or perform other suitable procedures.

Turning to FIG. 7A, method 700 might comprise, at block 705, receiving,with a user device, one or more data updates in linear messaging format(e.g., in SMS messaging format). At block 710, method 700 might comprisedetermining, with the user device, that the one or more linear (e.g.,SMS) messages each have a format indicating data updates are presentrather than a regular linear (e.g., SMS) message that are displayed to auser (i.e., regular communications linear (e.g., SMS) message addressedto the user, not necessarily addressed to the device associated with theuser). Method 700 might further comprise, based on such a determination,diverting, with the user device, the one or more linear (e.g., SMS)messages from a queue of regular (i.e., communications) linear (e.g.,SMS) messages that are displayed to the user (block 715). At block 720,method 700 might comprise extracting, with the user device, the dataupdates from each of the one or more linear (e.g., SMS) messages. Method700, at block 725, might comprise translating, with the user device, thedata updates into a single data update file in data format. Method 700might further comprise, at block 730, relaying, with the user device,the single data update file in data format to one or more applicationsrunning on the user device, to update the one or more applications. Atblock 735, method 700 might comprise updating, with the user device, oneor more applications running on the user device, using the data updatesin the single data update file. In some cases, the single data updatefile might include header information that might indicate which of theone or more applications to update.

Method 700, at block 740, might comprise, based on a determination thatthe data updates comprise at least one of web-based user notificationsor social media-based user notifications for a user associated with theuser device, displaying, with the user device and on a display device ofthe user device, the at least one of web-based user notifications orsocial media-based notifications for the user, via at least oneapplication of the one or more applications running on the user device,regardless of whether the user device is in a data-not-available (“DNA”)zone.

With reference to FIG. 7B, the process of translating, with the userdevice, the data updates into a single data update file in data formatof block 725 of FIG. 7A might further include sub-processes that aredepicted by the method continuing from the process at block 725 tooptional blocks 745, linked by circular markers denoted by “A.” Atoptional block 745, method 700 might comprise determining, with the userdevice, whether the data updates have been encrypted. Method 700, atoptional block 750, might comprise, based on a determination that thedata updates are encrypted, decrypting, with the user device, the dataupdates contained in each of the one or more linear (e.g., SMS)messages. Method 700 might further comprise, translating, with the userdevice, the decrypted data updates into the single data update file indata format (optional block 755).

Exemplary System and Hardware Implementation

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary computer or systemhardware architecture, in accordance with various embodiments. FIG. 8provides a schematic illustration of one embodiment of a computer system800 of the service provider system hardware that can perform the methodsprovided by various other embodiments, as described herein, and/or canperform the functions of server or MSC 105, application servers 135,server 405 or 520, user devices 110, client devices 535, and/or thelike, as described above. It should be noted that FIG. 8 is meant onlyto provide a generalized illustration of various components, of whichone or more (or none) of each may be utilized as appropriate. FIG. 8,therefore, broadly illustrates how individual system elements may beimplemented in a relatively separated or relatively more integratedmanner.

The computer or hardware system 800—which might represent an embodimentof the server or MSC 105, application servers 135, server 405 or 520,user devices 110, client devices 535, and/or the like, as describedabove with respect to FIGS. 1-7—is shown comprising hardware elementsthat can be electrically coupled via a bus 805 (or may otherwise be incommunication, as appropriate). The hardware elements may include one ormore processors 810, including, without limitation, one or moregeneral-purpose processors and/or one or more special-purpose processors(such as digital signal processing chips, graphics accelerationprocessors, and/or the like); one or more input devices 815, which caninclude, without limitation, a mouse, a keyboard and/or the like; andone or more output devices 820, which can include, without limitation, adisplay device, a printer, and/or the like.

The computer or hardware system 800 may further include (and/or be incommunication with) one or more storage devices 825, which can comprise,without limitation, local and/or network accessible storage, and/or caninclude, without limitation, a disk drive, a drive array, an opticalstorage device, solid-state storage device such as a random accessmemory (“RAM”) and/or a read-only memory (“ROM”), which can beprogrammable, flash-updateable, and/or the like. Such storage devicesmay be configured to implement any appropriate data stores, including,without limitation, various file systems, database structures, and/orthe like.

The computer or hardware system 800 might also include a communicationssubsystem 830, which can include, without limitation, a modem, a networkcard (wireless or wired), an infra-red communication device, a wirelesscommunication device and/or chipset (such as a Bluetooth™ device, an802.11 device, a WiFi device, a WiMax device, a WWAN device, cellularcommunication facilities, etc.), and/or the like. The communicationssubsystem 830 may permit data to be exchanged with a network (such asthe network described below, to name one example), with other computeror hardware systems, and/or with any other devices described herein. Inmany embodiments, the computer or hardware system 800 will furthercomprise a working memory 835, which can include a RAM or ROM device, asdescribed above.

The computer or hardware system 800 also may comprise software elements,shown as being currently located within the working memory 835,including an operating system 840, device drivers, executable libraries,and/or other code, such as one or more application programs 845, whichmay comprise computer programs provided by various embodiments(including, without limitation, hypervisors, VMs, and the like), and/ormay be designed to implement methods, and/or configure systems, providedby other embodiments, as described herein. Merely by way of example, oneor more procedures described with respect to the method(s) discussedabove might be implemented as code and/or instructions executable by acomputer (and/or a processor within a computer); in an aspect, then,such code and/or instructions can be used to configure and/or adapt ageneral purpose computer (or other device) to perform one or moreoperations in accordance with the described methods.

A set of these instructions and/or code might be encoded and/or storedon a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as thestorage device(s) 825 described above. In some cases, the storage mediummight be incorporated within a computer system, such as the system 800.In other embodiments, the storage medium might be separate from acomputer system (i.e., a removable medium, such as a compact disc,etc.), and/or provided in an installation package, such that the storagemedium can be used to program, configure, and/or adapt a general purposecomputer with the instructions/code stored thereon. These instructionsmight take the form of executable code, which is executable by thecomputer or hardware system 800 and/or might take the form of sourceand/or installable code, which, upon compilation and/or installation onthe computer or hardware system 800 (e.g., using any of a variety ofgenerally available compilers, installation programs,compression/decompression utilities, etc.) then takes the form ofexecutable code.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that substantialvariations may be made in accordance with specific requirements. Forexample, customized hardware (such as programmable logic controllers,field-programmable gate arrays, application-specific integratedcircuits, and/or the like) might also be used, and/or particularelements might be implemented in hardware, software (including portablesoftware, such as applets, etc.), or both. Further, connection to othercomputing devices such as network input/output devices may be employed.

As mentioned above, in one aspect, some embodiments may employ acomputer or hardware system (such as the computer or hardware system800) to perform methods in accordance with various embodiments of theinvention. According to a set of embodiments, some or all of theprocedures of such methods are performed by the computer or hardwaresystem 800 in response to processor 810 executing one or more sequencesof one or more instructions (which might be incorporated into theoperating system 840 and/or other code, such as an application program845) contained in the working memory 835. Such instructions may be readinto the working memory 835 from another computer readable medium, suchas one or more of the storage device(s) 825. Merely by way of example,execution of the sequences of instructions contained in the workingmemory 835 might cause the processor(s) 810 to perform one or moreprocedures of the methods described herein.

The terms “machine readable medium” and “computer readable medium,” asused herein, refer to any medium that participates in providing datathat causes a machine to operate in a specific fashion. In an embodimentimplemented using the computer or hardware system 800, various computerreadable media might be involved in providing instructions/code toprocessor(s) 810 for execution and/or might be used to store and/orcarry such instructions/code (e.g., as signals). In manyimplementations, a computer readable medium is a non-transitory,physical, and/or tangible storage medium. Such a medium may take manyforms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatilemedia, or the like. Non-volatile media includes, for example, opticaland/or magnetic disks, such as the storage device(s) 825. Volatile mediaincludes, without limitation, dynamic memory, such as the working memory835. In some alternative embodiments, a computer readable medium maytake the form of transmission media, which includes, without limitation,coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires thatcomprise the bus 805, as well as the various components of thecommunication subsystem 830 (and/or the media by which thecommunications subsystem 830 provides communication with other devices).In an alternative set of embodiments, transmission media can also takethe form of waves (including without limitation radio, acoustic and/orlight waves, such as those generated during radio-wave and infra-reddata communications).

Common forms of physical and/or tangible computer readable mediainclude, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk,magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, any other opticalmedium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patternsof holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chipor cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any othermedium from which a computer can read instructions and/or code.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying oneor more sequences of one or more instructions to the processor(s) 810for execution. Merely by way of example, the instructions may initiallybe carried on a magnetic disk and/or optical disc of a remote computer.A remote computer might load the instructions into its dynamic memoryand send the instructions as signals over a transmission medium to bereceived and/or executed by the computer or hardware system 800. Thesesignals, which might be in the form of electromagnetic signals, acousticsignals, optical signals, and/or the like, are all examples of carrierwaves on which instructions can be encoded, in accordance with variousembodiments of the invention.

The communications subsystem 830 (and/or components thereof) generallywill receive the signals, and the bus 805 then might carry the signals(and/or the data, instructions, etc. carried by the signals) to theworking memory 835, from which the processor(s) 805 retrieves andexecutes the instructions. The instructions received by the workingmemory 835 may optionally be stored on a storage device 825 eitherbefore or after execution by the processor(s) 810.

As noted above, a set of embodiments comprises methods and systems forimplementing message-driven data updates. FIG. 9 illustrates a schematicdiagram of a system 900 that can be used in accordance with one set ofembodiments. The system 900 can include one or more user computers oruser devices 905. A user computer or user device 905 can be a generalpurpose personal computer (including, merely by way of example, desktopcomputers, tablet computers, laptop computers, handheld computers, andthe like, running any appropriate operating system, several of which areavailable from vendors such as Apple, Microsoft Corp., and the like),cloud computing devices, a server(s), and/or a workstation computer(s)running any of a variety of commercially-available UNIX™ or UNIX-likeoperating systems. A user computer or user device 905 can also have anyof a variety of applications, including one or more applicationsconfigured to perform methods provided by various embodiments (asdescribed above, for example), as well as one or more officeapplications, database client and/or server applications, and/or webbrowser applications. Alternatively, a user computer or user device 905can be any other electronic device, such as a thin-client computer,Internet-enabled mobile telephone, and/or personal digital assistant,capable of communicating via a network (e.g., the network(s) 910described below) and/or of displaying and navigating web pages or othertypes of electronic documents. Although the exemplary system 900 isshown with three user computers or user devices 905, any number of usercomputers or user devices can be supported.

Certain embodiments operate in a networked environment, which caninclude a network(s) 910. The network(s) 910 can be any type of networkfamiliar to those skilled in the art that can support datacommunications using any of a variety of commercially-available (and/orfree or proprietary) protocols, including, without limitation, TCP/IP,SNA™ IPX™ AppleTalk™, and the like. Merely by way of example, thenetwork(s) 910 can each include a local area network (“LAN”), including,without limitation, a fiber network, an Ethernet network, a Token-Ring™network and/or the like; a wide-area network (“WAN”); a wireless widearea network (“WWAN”); a virtual network, such as a virtual privatenetwork (“VPN”); the Internet; an intranet; an extranet; a publicswitched telephone network (“PSTN”); an infra-red network; a wirelessnetwork, including, without limitation, a network operating under any ofthe IEEE 802.11 suite of protocols, the Bluetooth™ protocol known in theart, and/or any other wireless protocol; and/or any combination of theseand/or other networks. In a particular embodiment, the network mightinclude an access network of the service provider (e.g., an Internetservice provider (“ISP”)). In another embodiment, the network mightinclude a core network of the service provider, and/or the Internet.

Embodiments can also include one or more server computers 915. Each ofthe server computers 915 may be configured with an operating system,including, without limitation, any of those discussed above, as well asany commercially (or freely) available server operating systems. Each ofthe servers 915 may also be running one or more applications, which canbe configured to provide services to one or more clients 905 and/orother servers 915.

Merely by way of example, one of the servers 915 might be a data server,a web server, a cloud computing device(s), or the like, as describedabove. The data server might include (or be in communication with) a webserver, which can be used, merely by way of example, to process requestsfor web pages or other electronic documents from user computers 905. Theweb server can also run a variety of server applications, including HTTPservers, FTP servers, CGI servers, database servers, Java servers, andthe like. In some embodiments of the invention, the web server may beconfigured to serve web pages that can be operated within a web browseron one or more of the user computers 905 to perform methods of theinvention.

The server computers 915, in some embodiments, might include one or moreapplication servers, which can be configured with one or moreapplications accessible by a client running on one or more of the clientcomputers 905 and/or other servers 915. Merely by way of example, theserver(s) 915 can be one or more general purpose computers capable ofexecuting programs or scripts in response to the user computers 905and/or other servers 915, including, without limitation, webapplications (which might, in some cases, be configured to performmethods provided by various embodiments). Merely by way of example, aweb application can be implemented as one or more scripts or programswritten in any suitable programming language, such as Java™, C, C#™ orC++, and/or any scripting language, such as Perl, Python, or TCL, aswell as combinations of any programming and/or scripting languages. Theapplication server(s) can also include database servers, including,without limitation, those commercially available from Oracle™,Microsoft™, Sybase™ IBM™, and the like, which can process requests fromclients (including, depending on the configuration, dedicated databaseclients, API clients, web browsers, etc.) running on a user computer oruser device 905 and/or another server 915. In some embodiments, anapplication server, user device, or server can perform one or more ofthe processes for implementing message-driven data updates, or the like,as described in detail above. Data provided by an application server maybe formatted as one or more web pages (comprising HTML, JavaScript,etc., for example) and/or may be forwarded to a user computer 905 via aweb server (as described above, for example). Similarly, a web servermight receive web page requests and/or input data from a user computer905 and/or forward the web page requests and/or input data to anapplication server. In some cases, a web server may be integrated withan application server.

In accordance with further embodiments, one or more servers 915 canfunction as a file server and/or can include one or more of the files(e.g., application code, data files, etc.) necessary to implementvarious disclosed methods, incorporated by an application running on auser computer 905 and/or another server 915. Alternatively, as thoseskilled in the art will appreciate, a file server can include allnecessary files, allowing such an application to be invoked remotely bya user computer or user device 905 and/or server 915.

It should be noted that the functions described with respect to variousservers herein (e.g., application server, database server, web server,file server, etc.) can be performed by a single server and/or aplurality of specialized servers, depending on implementation-specificneeds and parameters.

In certain embodiments, the system can include one or more databases920. The location of the database(s) 920 is discretionary: merely by wayof example, a database 920 a might reside on a storage medium local to(and/or resident in) a server 915 a (and/or a user computer or userdevice 905). Alternatively, a database 920 b can be remote from any orall of the computers 905, 915, so long as it can be in communication(e.g., via the network 910) with one or more of these. In a particularset of embodiments, a database 920 can reside in a storage-area network(“SAN”) familiar to those skilled in the art. (Likewise, any necessaryfiles for performing the functions attributed to the computers 905, 915can be stored locally on the respective computer and/or remotely, asappropriate.) In one set of embodiments, the database 920 can be arelational database, such as an Oracle database, that is adapted tostore, update, and retrieve data in response to SQL-formatted commands.The database might be controlled and/or maintained by a database server,as described above, for example.

According to some embodiments, system 900 might further comprise one ormore application servers 925, as described in detail above with respectto FIGS. 1-7. In some embodiments, one or more of the user device 905 a,the user device 905 b, the server 915 a, the server 915 b, the database920 a, and/or the database 920 b might be in the same network 910 as oneof the applications server(s) 925. In alternative or additionalembodiments, one or more of the user device 905 a, the user device 905b, the server 915 a, the server 915 b, the database 920 a, and/or thedatabase 920 b might be in a first network 910 that is different fromanother network(s) 910 in which each of the application server(s) 925 islocated.

While certain features and aspects have been described with respect toexemplary embodiments, one skilled in the art will recognize thatnumerous modifications are possible. For example, the methods andprocesses described herein may be implemented using hardware components,software components, and/or any combination thereof. Further, whilevarious methods and processes described herein may be described withrespect to particular structural and/or functional components for easeof description, methods provided by various embodiments are not limitedto any particular structural and/or functional architecture but insteadcan be implemented on any suitable hardware, firmware and/or softwareconfiguration. Similarly, while certain functionality is ascribed tocertain system components, unless the context dictates otherwise, thisfunctionality can be distributed among various other system componentsin accordance with the several embodiments.

Moreover, while the procedures of the methods and processes describedherein are described in a particular order for ease of description,unless the context dictates otherwise, various procedures may bereordered, added, and/or omitted in accordance with various embodiments.Moreover, the procedures described with respect to one method or processmay be incorporated within other described methods or processes;likewise, system components described according to a particularstructural architecture and/or with respect to one system may beorganized in alternative structural architectures and/or incorporatedwithin other described systems. Hence, while various embodiments aredescribed with—or without—certain features for ease of description andto illustrate exemplary aspects of those embodiments, the variouscomponents and/or features described herein with respect to a particularembodiment can be substituted, added and/or subtracted from among otherdescribed embodiments, unless the context dictates otherwise.Consequently, although several exemplary embodiments are describedabove, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to coverall modifications and equivalents within the scope of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: generating, with a firstcomputer, a short message service (“SMS”) message containing dataupdates, the SMS message having a format that triggers a data updateanalyzer in a user device to intercept the SMS message, to divert theSMS message from a queue of regular SMS messages that are displayed to auser, and to update one or more applications on the user device with thedata updates; and sending, with the first computer, the SMS messagecontaining the data updates to the user device over a communicationsnetwork; wherein the format that triggers the data update analyzer tointercept the SMS message comprises a first predetermined number of bitsindicating a start of a message, a second predetermined number of bitsindicating whether the SMS message is encrypted, a third predeterminednumber of bits indicating whether the user is a registered user, fourthand fifth predetermined numbers of bits indicating a template of the SMSmessage, a sixth predetermined number of bits containing the dataupdates, seventh and eighth predetermined numbers of bits indicatingbits that are reserved for future processing, ninth and tenthpredetermined numbers of bits indicating whether the data updates arebeing sent over multiple SMS messages, eleventh and twelfthpredetermined numbers of bits indicating whether the data updates arecurrent data or archived data, and a thirteenth predetermined number ofbits indicating an end of the message.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereingenerating the SMS message comprises: encrypting, with the firstcomputer, the data updates; and embedding, with the first computer, theencrypted data updates in the SMS message.
 3. The method of claim 2,wherein generating the SMS message further comprises: providing, withthe first computer, a first indicator in the SMS message indicating thatthe data updates contained in the SMS message has been encrypted.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: determining, with the firstcomputer, whether a user associated with the user device is a registereduser; based on a determination that the user associated with the user isa registered user, providing, with the first computer, a secondindicator in the SMS message indicating that the user device has beenauthenticated; and based on a determination that the user associatedwith the user is not a registered user, providing, with the firstcomputer, a third indicator in the SMS message indicating that the userdevice has not been authenticated.
 5. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: determining, with the first computer, whether the dataupdates exceed character limits of one or more single SMS messages;wherein, based on a determination that the data updates exceed characterlimits of one or more single SMS messages, generating the SMS messagecomprises: dividing, with the first computer, the data updates into twoor more portions; generating, with the first computer, two or more SMSmessages; and embedding, with the first computer, each of the two ormore portions of the data updates into a designated one of the two ormore SMS messages.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein generating the SMSmessage further comprises: providing, with the first computer, a fourthindicator in each of the two or more SMS messages indicating that thedata updates contained in each of the two or more SMS messages representpartial data updates.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:determining, with the first computer, whether the data updates representcurrent data or archived data; based on a determination that the dataupdates represent current data, providing, with the first computer, afifth indicator in the SMS message indicating that the data updatescontained in the SMS message represent current data; and based on adetermination that the data updates represent archived data, providing,with the first computer, a sixth indicator in the SMS message indicatingthat the data updates contained in the SMS message represent archiveddata.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, with thefirst computer, the data updates in data format from a second computer,which is separate from the first computer.
 9. An apparatus, comprising:at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium incommunication with the at least one processor, the non-transitorycomputer readable medium having stored thereon computer softwarecomprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the at least oneprocessor, causes the apparatus to perform one or more functions, theset of instructions comprising: instructions for generating one or moreshort message service (“SMS”) messages containing data updates, the oneor more SMS messages each having a format that triggers a data updateanalyzer in a user device to intercept the one or more SMS messages andto divert the one or more SMS messages from a queue of regular SMSmessages for display to a user; and instructions for sending the one ormore SMS messages containing the data updates to the user devices over acommunications network; wherein the format that triggers the data updateanalyzer in the user device to intercept the one or more SMS messagecomprises a first predetermined number of bits indicating a start of amessage, a second predetermined number of bits indicating whether theSMS message is encrypted, a third predetermined number of bitsindicating whether the user is a registered user, fourth and fifthpredetermined numbers of bits indicating a template of the SMS message,a sixth predetermined number of bits containing the data updates,seventh and eighth predetermined numbers of bits indicating bits thatare reserved for future processing, ninth and tenth predeterminednumbers of bits indicating whether the data updates are being sent overmultiple SMS messages, eleventh and twelfth predetermined numbers ofbits indicating whether the data updates are current data or archiveddata, and a thirteenth predetermined number of bits indicating an end ofthe message.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the set ofinstructions further comprises: instructions for determining that atleast one SMS message of the one or more SMS messages containing thedata updates has not been received by the user device; and instructionsfor, based on a determination that at least one SMS message of the oneor more SMS messages containing the data updates has not been receivedby the user device, resending the at least one SMS message to the userdevice over the communications network on a periodic basis until it hasbeen determined that the at least one SMS message has been received bythe user device.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the set ofinstructions further comprises: instructions for determining that theuser device has entered a data-not-available (“DNA”) zone while at leastone SMS message of the one or more SMS messages containing the dataupdates is being sent to the user device; and instructions for, based ona determination that the user device has entered a DNA zone while atleast one SMS message of the one or more SMS messages containing thedata updates is being sent to the user device, resending the at leastone SMS message to the user device over the communications network on aperiodic basis until it has been determined that the at least one SMSmessage has been received by the user device.
 12. The apparatus of claim9, wherein the set of instructions further comprises: instructions fordetermining that the user device is offline while at least one SMSmessage of the one or more SMS messages containing the data updates isbeing sent to the user device; and instructions for, based on adetermination that the user device is offline while at least one SMSmessage of the one or more SMS messages containing the data updates isbeing sent to the user device, resending the at least one SMS message tothe user device over the communications network on a periodic basisuntil it has been determined that the at least one SMS message has beenreceived by the user device.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein thecomputer is one of a server computer or a cloud-based server.
 14. Amethod, comprising: generating, with a first computer, data updates in alinear messaging format, the linear messaging format having a formatthat triggers a data update analyzer in a user device to intercept thedata updates, and to update one or more applications on the user devicewith the data updates; and sending, with the first computer, the dataupdates in the linear messaging format to the user device over a linearmessaging communications network; wherein the format that triggers thedata update analyzer in the user device to intercept the data updatescomprises a first predetermined number of bits indicating a start of amessage, a second predetermined number of bits indicating whether thedata updates are encrypted, a third predetermined number of bitsindicating whether a user associated with the user device is aregistered user, fourth and fifth predetermined numbers of bitsindicating a template of the data updates, a sixth predetermined numberof bits containing the data updates, seventh and eighth predeterminednumbers of bits indicating bits that are reserved for future processing,ninth and tenth predetermined numbers of bits indicating whether thedata updates are being sent over multiple sets of data updates, eleventhand twelfth predetermined numbers of bits indicating whether the dataupdates are current data or archived data, and a thirteenthpredetermined number of bits indicating an end of the message.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the data updates comprise at least one ofapplication updates, media content updates, service updates, web-baseduser notifications, or social media-based user notifications.
 16. Themethod of claim 14, wherein generating, with the first computer, dataupdates in a linear messaging format comprises generating, with thefirst computer, one or more short message service (“SMS”) messagescontaining the data updates, the one or more SMS messages each having aformat that triggers the data update analyzer in the user device tointercept the one or more SMS messages, to divert the one or more SMSmessages from the queue of regular SMS messages that are displayed tothe user, and to update the one or more applications on the user devicewith the data updates.